Grumpy Sleeps with Happy
by spacegypsy1
Summary: A grumpy Daniel has to spend a night all alone in a room with a happy Vala. Rating – sorta mature, I mean the scenes not the writing. Total fluff. It's short as I usually only write short-apprx 5500 silly D/V words. Some D/V Luv! Some team interaction


Title: Grumpy Sleeps with Happy

Author: spacegypsy1

Pairing: Daniel and Vala

please note that in no point in this story are Cam and Teal'c a couple. As to the civilians and dog tags... hellllloooo would you want to go 'off-world' to dangerous places and get killed dead and nobody brings back somethin' to acknowledged said dead killed-ness? Logical assumption. SGC mandates all off-world team-members, straight, gay...oh...er...I mean civilian or military wear 'dog tags' that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Warnings: I don't know, it's really sappy and maybe some sexy stuff might be very slightly addressed or undressed

A grumpy Daniel has to spend a night all alone in a room with a happy Vala. Rating – sorta mature, I mean the scenes not the writing. Total fluff. It's short as I usually only write short-apprx 5500 silly D/V words. Some D/V Luv! Some Teal'c and Mitchell interaction.

-o0o-

Drizzling rain created a cold mist around the area of the Stargate. Vala and Daniel guarded the 'Gate as Teal'c followed Mitchell across the field to the meet the approaching locals.

Daniel kept scowling, removing his glasses, wiping the moisture off the lenses, and replacing them, all the while thinking about the past twelve hours. He wasn't in the best of moods. First of all he'd had little sleep, tossing and turning with his mind firmly affixed on Vala. When he'd finally overcome his fantasizing about three this morning she'd burst into his room, scared the bejesus out of him, and talking ninety to nothing relayed some dream she had about skating with stars.

Vala sometimes had nightmares, and usually violent ones. But this one seemed a bit odd, however, he sat up to listen as she plopped down on the side of his bed close enough that the warmth of her thigh nearly set his on fire. She'd rambled on and on and on and on about nonsense and he'd realized it was not her usual horror, instead some silly thing she'd seen on television...he'd had enough. Unfortunately there was only one way he could think of to shut her up. So he'd kissed her. It's what he'd been fantasizing about for weeks now.

It started out slowly, his mouth teasing her lips with a playful tongue meant only to muffle her words. But the moist heat of her mouth, her moan, the way she accepted him acted like a magnet, drawing him deeper. The playfulness slipped away replaced by heated passion as he forged ahead with an intensity he'd long held in check.

Daniel's fingers wrapped around her neck to pull her closer. He hadn't a clue as to how long they kissed, could have been days for all he knew. But eventually, coming to his senses, he started to pull away in small increments until the seal of lips was broken.

Completely dazed by his powerful, passionate kiss Vala easily complied when he sent her back to her room telling her they'd talk later.

That worked pretty well, but then he couldn't sleep thinking about her mouth and the way she'd responded. Hands behind his head he'd stared at the ceiling until just minutes away from his alarm clock going off he'd finally fallen asleep with the memory of her kiss.

Of course, unable to leave well enough alone Daniel said something later that morning as he and Vala had walked side by side into the Stargate. His ineptitude in social graces and his need to explain things had him stumbling over words.

There was no taking it back now. Not what he said and certainly not the earlier kiss, not that he wanted to take the kiss back. Or what he said. Damn, but he wasn't ready to take the fast track with Vala. Nope. He had to figure a way to take this one nice and slow.

Now, standing here in this damp mist on PY4-828, he knew nice and slow would not exist in his world. He knew his life would change and nothing would be the same. He was tired, a little cross. She was always so 'up'... which for some reason annoyed him today. He didn't have time to think this through! From the day he'd met her she'd known what she wanted. He needed to plan. She was spontaneous. He enjoyed things calm, thought out. She annoyed him. He was grumpy. She was happy.

Vala kept a big smile on her face – which she aimed at him as she fidgeted mercilessly, occasionally poking him in the arm with a sharp fingernail and whispering, "Daniel? Daniel? About that kiss...grrr...and what you said...mmm..." The last time his heated glare stopped her mid sentence. But mind you, she'd only grinned, eyes twinkling and shoulders rising. That was why he loved her.

Finally Mitchell turned and headed back, Teal'c close behind. The Colonel followed up a long telling whistle with, "Uh oh."

"Oh!" Vala's head swung around to Mitchell and back to Daniel. "When Mitchell says 'uh oh' it's usually bad."

"Not necessarily. He says that a lot." As the colonel approached, Daniel shot Vala a perturbed sideways glance before returning his gaze to his CO.

Mitchell stopped in front of the others, hands on his hips and head shaking from side to side. "This is bad."

"Hmph! Told you!" Vala slapped Daniel's arm then tossed her head with flip of her hair and made a childish face at him.

With a frown, Daniel rolled his eyes and asked Mitchell, "How bad?"

"How bad for you or in general?" Crossing his arms, Mitchell shook his head again.

Daniel blinked, confused. "How could it possibly be worse for me?"

"Cause on PY4-828, no unattached women are allowed to use the 'Gate, see the 'Gate, or be within half a click of the 'Gate. And I quote...'The Divine Ring is the symbol of marital bliss and no maiden shall rest her innocent eyes upon it.' Weird, huh?"

"So?" The archeologist questioned, scowling fiercely at the colonel.

"So," Mitchell responded, grinning, "I told 'em Vala and you were hitched."

"Hitched?" Daniel's voice 'hitched' at the implication.

"Yup, hitched." Busy with straightening a rolled up sleeve, Mitchell didn't look up.

"As in?" Daniel wanted to be certain he completely understood what was happening!

Teal'c piped in. "As in, DanielJackson, wed, or bound, or married." There was a discernible twinkle to the Jaffa's usually serious eyes.

While Vala grinned, wound a pigtail around a finger and twisted to and fro, Daniel demanded, "Why the hell would you say that! And, damn it, Mitchell, this is the worst time you..."

"Cause I didn't want the princess hauled off to jail, or her innocent eyes poked out, or whatever nonsense these funky aliens do to their unattached womenfolk and neither the big guy or myself wants to be the one to have to share a room with her. No slight intended, princess, but you tend to talk half the night and nobody gets to sleep. Jackson's better at handlin' you, and besides he never sleeps anyway." Turning towards Daniel, Mitchell shrugged. "Sorry, man, but somebody has to do it, and that somebody is you."

"Ah, the newlyweds, I presume?"

As one, the team pivoted about to face a rather officially dressed, pinched faced woman.

Cam gestured towards the duo. "Yes ma'am. Dr. Daniel Jackson and Mrs. Vala Jackson. Of Earth."

"You may call me Magistrate." The woman turned to Vala. "Mrs. Jackson, please be sure you have the proper paperwork filed before you return to the Divine Ring." The woman scanned Vala carefully. "What is your people's outward sign of marriage? I do not see a symbol of the Divine Ring on your finger!"

"Ah, right, ma'am we..."

"I was not speaking to you Colonel Mitchell. The woman is married, therefore she has the right to speak for herself."

Daniel couldn't resist the urge to smirk at Mitchell.

"Weeellll." Vala bit at her lip. "You see... we...er...well...rings sort of get in the way of shooting guns. And once a woman is married on our planet she is allowed to shoot people and wedding bands can get caught in the trigger, and so we take them off when we are carrying guns."

"How will anyone recognize you are married?"

The suspicious tone of the Magistrates voice wasn't lost on SG-1. Daniel moved closer to Vala. "We have these." He pulled out his dog tags, jangled them and immediately returned them under his shirt. Vala nodded and pulled hers out, and quickly replaced them.

"I see. Be sure to record them at the main kiosk, otherwise you may have trouble returning here to the Divine Rings. You must register your status as soon as you can. Now if you will follow me we have made arrangements at the local hostelry. And, Mrs. Jackson, I advise registration before your husband attempts procuring a room, as it could result in you being labeled a harlot!"

"Hmph! Well, I certainly have never been...well there was that time..."

Jostling Vala aside, Daniel spoke quickly. "Thank you Magistrate. I will assist my...wife...in registration."

The Magistrate flapped a hand at a small building behind her. "That is the building you need. You can meet with the antiquities committee after breakfast tomorrow and begin your explorations."

Once the woman had left, Daniel glared at Vala as if this whole mess was her fault! But she only shrugged.

Mitchell grinned, eyes crinkled and head shaking. "Okay, we have a grumpy Doc Jackson and a delirious happy Mrs. Jackson. So, now that all's right in our off-world, let's get to it. I'm tired. It's nearly midnight back home. Sleepy time."

"Really, Mitchell, did you have to tell them that she was married to me? Why didn't you send her back through the Stargate?" Daniel had his hands on his hips and eyes narrowed.

"I couldn't. Once they spotted her, there was no goin' back through the "Divine Ring" for your princess wife, Jackson. Chill. It's just one night. Tomorrow we get to search the ruins, discover if there is or isn't a ZPM as reported or somethin' equally important. Negotiate according to what we find and we leave. One night in a nice comfy room. You've sleep countless times with her in a tent. So what's the difference?"

Daniel all but scoffed aloud, eyes widening in horror, mouth opening and closing without a word escaping. _ Difference? Difference! Holy shit! A tent is on a mission. A tent is next to other people. There is safety in numbers...in tents...in fabric walls. Holy shit! I'm only human...The woman is hot. She's funny, sexy, smart and she's obviously willing...at least for me. And that mouth? Oh, gods, can she kiss! Holy shit! You have no idea what I'm getting myself into! We're talking cat and canary here. And I'm the one with feathers! _ "Right, sure, what's the difference?" Forcing a weak smile, he nodded, turned to Vala and swung immediately away from her adorable yet predatory wink. "There won't be anything left but feathers." Daniel mumbled taking off in the direction indicated with Vala skipping merrily behind him.

-o0o-

Before the couple made their way to the mandatory registration, they exchanged one each of their dog tags in hopes of making it look more real. With that test passed and ten pages of stamped and signed documents tucked safely in Vala's jacket, they joined Teal'c and Mitchell at the inn.

Vala tossed the documents on the counter, and glared at the hoity-toity man before he could utter a complaint. She wrapped her arm through Daniel's, tossed her head and told the registrar, "Mr. and MRS. Jackson. We would like your best room. Actually we would like the honeymoon suite should you have one in your humble little inn!

He looked her up and down, taking in her manly military attire, gave her a haughty look and handed the pen to Daniel. "Sir, what is your reques..."

Vala snatched the man by the collar and half hauled him across the counter. Daniel got her around the waist as Mitchell jumped forward and took a hold of her wrist. "Vala!" Both Daniel and Mitchell called out at once.

She let go of the man and Mitchell let go of her wrist. Daniel held firm.

The Registrar was about to cause a scene when he looked up and spotted the Jaffa staring. Eyes widening the man simply brushed at his coat, pointed down the corridor, retrieved a key, and handed it over to Vala. "Madam." He said kindly.

"Why, thank you, sir." Vala replied with a raise of one dark brow and a bit of a smirk.

"Jackson?"

Daniel blinked and turned his gaze towards Mitchell. "Huh?"

"You can let go of her now, man."

"Oh, right." His hand slid off the firm warm flesh that had been exposed on her belly in the tussle. "Damn," he whispered, glaring at the top of his "wife's" head. "Come on!" Taking Vala by the arm he headed off towards the stairs.

"Daniel, darling?" She purred.

"What!" He grouched.

"Where are we going?"

"Room, the room...our...er...the room."

"It's downstairs, dearest, here on the main floor – the honeymoon suite, see the heart shaped key..." She held it up. "...and isn't this just a perfectly 'sweet' start to our lovely new relationship? I'm so excited. And happy. And you being all grumpy is actually good. I mean, really, Daniel, it helps me to know this is real."

_What? _ _I'm not grumpy!_ Daniel glared, shuffling off behind his nemesis 'wife'. He'd created this monster right there in the Gateroom! Without a clue as to how it just popped out of his mouth completely unexpected! While he urged her up the ramp, hand on her taut muscled back, he'd asked her to consider a monogamous, permanent relationship, to which she had responded quite calmly and rationally..."Permanent? I wouldn't have it any other way. Besides," she'd whispered, "I'm already in a monogamous relationship with you darling, you just refused to admit it. There's been no one since Tomin, and he really doesn't count – you know he was a nice man and I did grow fond of him off and on, but that was a life saving thingie...it's been you since our sexy fight on the Prometheus, actually more your response when I kissed you... I knew then as I know now..." With his hand still plastered across the small of her back, into the horizon they'd walked side by side.

Daniel sighed remembering the scene as he watched Teal'c and Mitchell take off up the stairs of the hostelry.

"We'll see you two love birds at breakfast," Mitchell laughed, looking back over his shoulder. "Don't worry, Sunshine, she'll be gentle." And his laughter continued to echo.

-o0o-

Daniel, hands behind his head, T shirt and sweatpants worn as armor sat propped up against the headboard in the only bed in the room. Mood foul, he glared at the screened alcove where Vala's lovely voice drifted from, accompanied by the sound of water splashing. His thoughts wandered as she sang something about single ladies.

His first thought seemed to focus on the fact that she was naked in the bathtub mere feet from where he sat. With long honed skills at taking his attention to things not concerning Vala, Daniel shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Then he admitted that this...this 'relationship' had been coming to fruition a long time. Eyes narrowing, Daniel sighed as her singing grew louder with a broken record drone that sounded like 'put a ring on it' over and over.

Pursing his lips he tried to force honesty to the forefront. Why did it make him so grouchy to realize he was crazy about her? Obviously she was crazy about him. Daniel rolled his eyes as Vala hit a high note, repeating 'oh, oh, oh.'

"Oh, oh, oh, for sure!" He griped aloud setting his glasses on the bedside table and closing his eyes._ Couldn't we...I... have a bit more time to ease into this? I have important things I need to finish before she's permanently affixed to my...er...okay, she's a constant, whatever._

But one thing he knew, he needed to get control of her and take the time he needed. Maybe a tranquilizer gun would help. Daniel thumped his head against the headboard. When all went quiet, he cocked his head, listening. Then, he waited, eyes squeezed tight in case she pulled one of her stunts, like oh so innocently popping out from behind the screen before she was dressed.

Whatever possessed him to think he was ready for a full blown relationship, for taking it slow, for hoping for some peace and quiet in his life, which, since he was being honest wasn't exactly what he wanted...now...was it? Really? What did he want? Peace and quiet or Vala? That's easy enough. Daniel smiled thinking of Vala naked and wet. And his for the taking – when he decided it was the right time. Yep, it was all up to him.

When minutes passed and no Vala appeared grinning maniacally he sighed and decided it best to attempt sleep before he was faced with whatever she was planning. He must have drifted off. A twitch, a flinch, and a sudden jerk upright, preceded his eyes popping open to a blur of white towel wrapped woman and her loud, "Darling!"

Mouth puckered in annoyance, he squinted. "Damn it, Vala! Put some clothes on!"

"Right!" Vala, aware Daniel's eyes followed her across the room, dug through her pack and pulled out a large black T-Shirt, slipped it on pulling the towel out from under it, and padded over to the bed. She yawned, stretched (bringing the thigh length shirt sliding up her legs) and then on hands and knees she crawled right over Daniel into the large bed. Pulling the coverlet up to mid-chest, Vala yawned again, turned her back to him and snuggled into her pillow. "Nite."

Still sitting up, amazed, shocked and annoyed, the archeologist stared. "That's my T-shirt! You stole it from my quarters. That's my damned T-Shirt!"

"Mmm?"

He leaned over her inspecting the hole in the sleeve, frown lines deepening. "Vala? Vala! You broke into my quarters!"

Mumbling sleepily she admitted, "Um hum. That was years ago. Besides, it was in the trash can. It was damaged. Go to sleep."

"You broke into my room! How many times and what else did you steal?"

"Oh, for heaven's sakes, Daniel, about five hundred times. I didn't steal anything...only this T-shirt with the hole where I zapped you, which I found in the trash can, and I took it as a memento of our time together on the Prometheus. And once I borrowed a dark blue fancy ironed shirt carelessly tossed over the back of a chair, and I might have forgotten to return it. Oh! And a pair of your boxers, I had to complete my set. One of Muscles', one of Mitchell's and one of yours. Sam refused to contribute. But that was years and years ago!" Pushing Daniel aside, Vala sat up.

"What else?" He was squinting now, trying to get a clear picture of her face to see if she was lying.

Dark tendrils had fallen over her eyes and she puffed out air, blowing them aside. "Nothing. Though I slept in there – in your room - for days while you were Priorized and messing around with the evil child of my womb!"

"I...I did no such thing! Merlin...never mind." Daniel unconsciously tucked her hair behind her ears. "And it wasn't in the waste can. It was in a drawer."

"Really? Hmm. I don't remember it being...oh, yes, it was folded up and in the drawer with some bound journals and boxes and letters and such." She bit at her bottom lip. "Where you saving it for some reason?"

"None of your business! Damn it! I can't believe you've been snooping in my quarters." Now he was glaring, mouth set in a hard line. "And...and I can't believe you stole my T-shirt!" Daniel yanked his pillow up and re-stuffed it behind his back as he leaned against the headboard. "You broke into my room and took it!"

Cocking her head just so, she eyed him. "Fine! You can have it back!"

Before he knew what she was doing she'd pulled the T-shirt over her head and threw it in his face. It happened fast, but not so fast he didn't get a glimpse of the plump flesh with dark nipples he still remembered from the Prometheus' brig episode...and spent years trying to eradicate.

Vala tucked herself tight into the covers, turned her back to him and closed her eyes.

Daniel was silent for quite some time, staring at the top of her head and knowing she was naked under that pile of covers. Finally, he asked, "Why were you collecting underwear?"

"It wasn't long after I'd arrived here." Vala stuck her head out, but didn't turn. "I'd never seen that kind before, and I wanted to see if they were all the same or all different. I'd seen Sam in hers in the locker room and I couldn't picture you in those. Or Mitchell. And certainly not Musc..."

Daniel burst out laughing, and she followed quickly, laughing as she rolled to her back.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I did steal it, but it was a long time ago and I really did forget that I'd stolen it. It sort of became mine."

Looking down at her, seeing her dark hair spread on white sheets, the luminescent skin of her shoulders above the white cover, the smile still on her lips, Daniel felt his heart skip a beat. He closed his eyes for a moment, blinking them open. "I didn't even know it was missing. I don't ever look in that drawer."

"A drawer of monsters?" Vala turned on her side, away from him. She understood that monsters tucked away are better left alone.

"And other things." Slowly, he slid down, pulling her close, spooning into her, one hand slipping down and across her bare rib cage. Daniel sighed, eyes fluttering closed again. "The shirt certainly wasn't a monster. You can keep it. Wear it. I'd like that." He nuzzled her neck as he and his thumb warred a battle of will – Team Daniel tried to hold back, Team Thumb really wanted to dance across her skin, and find its way to the curve of her breast. "Actually, I'd like it right now – for you to wear it. I'm no saint, Vala. I think we're ready for a real relationship. And, admittedly, I do have...er...strong feelings for you. But this isn't the time or place..."

For a little thing, Vala had some muscle to her. She twisted just so and Daniel found himself on his back again, with her lovely naked body straddling him. "I'll take this one!" She giggled and started to pull the T-shirt he wore up, exposing his belly.

His fingers combed through her tangled hair and he pulled her face down, settling his mouth on hers, taking what he so badly wanted.

The kiss was long. Hard. Satisfying. Only the need for air made him pull away.

Daniel attempted to talk several times, but his lips trailed down over her collar bone muffling his words and stopping only when her hands began to palm upwards under his shirt.

Somehow Vala managed to relieve him of his T-shirt and then she slipped it on and sat back. When her eyes settled on his shocked and confused expression she burst out laughing. "Strong feelings! Ha! I know you. You want to talk first. And it will take forever to say what we already both know about I love you and you love me. And I don't want to be cold while you yammer away on the merits of..."

She had no time for squealing in surprise when he lifted her, removed his shirt from her, tossed her on her back and landed himself between her thighs, elbows and forearms trapping her arms. "Sure you wanna talk?" His breath was ragged and his voice deep and husky.

Vala flicked her tongue against his lips, snaked her legs up as her hands wiggled downwards to slip under the waistband of his sweats and as her palms enjoyed the feel of the strong muscles of his six, she began to move the barrier of cloth out of her way.

-o0o-

Mitchell checked his watch again. "Where the hell are they? It's nearly 0700 hours!"

Teal'c did no more than lift his gaze to the colonel.

"Maybe she had that mouth of hers goin' all night long and Jackson didn't get any sleep."

To which Teal'c raised a brow.

"I don't know, Big Guy, Jackson's weird, probably was explorin' everything every-which-a-way-inside-out-upside-down until all hours of the mornin'!"

That Jaffa brow shot up higher.

"She's all up in his business, snaking around the guy, playin' around with his stuff."

The other brow rose, making Teal'c appear wide eyed as his jaw began to twitch.

"I swear to goodness that man could bury himself in somethin' and never see the light of day again!"

Teal'c looked away in order to compose himself. Laughter was imminent. He spotted the couple approaching. Observant as ever, the Jaffa quickly noted the wide eyed, grinning DanielJackson and the dreamy eyed, soft features of an evidently ravished ValaMalDoran. ColonelMitchell had, indeed, struck this nail directly upon its head. "ColonelMitchell? The two have emerged."

With a disgusted look the colonel turned prepared to admonish the two. One look at them and he nearly gasped. Jackson had a scruffy beard. Vala had beard burn. Jackson looked a mite too happy, and Vala a bit too dazed. "Son of a bitch!"

"I concur, ColonelMitchell."

-o0o-

Not much was said as the team hiked the three clicks to the old caverns. As they made their way across rough terrain, Mitchell occasionally glared at Daniel. Daniel ignored him, and also forced himself to not look at Vala...which was difficult. Teal'c seemed carefree, with that little tilt to his lips that for him looked like a full blown grin.

Mitchell was relieved to have found one ZPM, though it was partially depleted, and had been buried under a cache of yet identified Ancient and/or Goa'uld technology. Unwilling to listen to Vala all day, (and more than afraid of what she might discuss...in detail) the colonel left her to guard the entrance to the cavern he'd explored knowing she'd catalog them later.

Insisting Daniel work on site with Teal'c - the one where nothing of interest was found at least as far as Mitchell was concerned - got him constant radio chatter from Daniel who ooed and ahhed over statues, art, and various rocks.

Mitchell had felt the need for hard work and sweat to set his mind straight and off of his unintentional and somewhat disturbing discovery of just why Jackson might have been reluctant at his initial plan! He didn't want to think about it.

Their day at the site had turned out to be long, hot and tedious and the brutal sun beat down as they headed back towards the town to negotiate.

The colonel joined Teal'c at point for the hike back. It wasn't hard to resist the urge to turn and check those two out...seeing as it'd take a bit of his remaining energy to turn his head around. But really, it was probably just his imagination making the whole thing up, but then again, Vala hadn't been bouncing off the walls and spewing sexual innuendos at Jackson who hadn't done his usual grumpy snarks.

Teal'c hadn't broken a sweat in the sweltering heat; of course he wore his vest without a shirt. Mitchell's T-shirt was soaked and the neck line misshaped from repeated use pulling it up to wipe his face. He'd pulled his tags out to keep the hot metal from burning his skin.

"Can't we stop for a quick swim in that lovely little stream we found on the way?" Vala skipped ahead and dogged Mitchell's steps.

"No." He waved a hand in her direction as if chasing away a pesky fly.

"Why?"

"'Cause I said so."

Her chin nearly rested on his shoulder as they trudged along. "I promise to keep my military issue undies on, please, Cameron? I'm so hot!" The sound of three male grunts of acknowledgment followed.

"I would not be averse to stopping for a cool refreshing dip, myself." Teal'c said, turning with a slight smile pointed at Vala.

"It is hot as hell, Mitchell. And town is only gonna be hotter, dustier, and there's not much in the way of cool clean water." Daniel shuffled along, reaching and tugging Vala back to his side. She grinned up at him, and he unconsciously brushed the tip of her nose with a finger.

Stopping abruptly, Mitchell slammed his hands on his hips. "Fine! But no funny stuff...from anybody." One arm shot forward directing his motley crew towards the stream.

-o0o-

Vala laid back resting on her elbows, water lapping at her toes and enjoyed the view. Teal'c, Cam, and Daniel shirtless and hip deep in the water, arguing over artifacts, ZPMs and negotiating tactics. What more could a girl ask for? Sighing, she closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun and proceeded to go over every detail of last night and this morning in Daniel's arms.

Her eyes popped open when she realized that needed to wait until she was alone to enjoy those memories and then there was the fact she was on guard duty, which was why she only had her feet in the water, pant legs rolled high.

Checking her watch she decided time was up. "Mitchell! My turn!"

"Chill it out, princess, nine more minutes." The colonel didn't even bother to look at her.

She hated his stupid straw or whatever picking! Somehow she always seemed to lose. Short straw...yeah, that was it! Resisting the urge to argue further she cut her gaze to Daniel. Vala rolled her eyes and forced her attention away from the water trickling down Daniel's belly. His body slowly turned further in her direction and her gaze drifted back to his navel and then up his chest and came to land on his amused eyes. "Oh!"

"I'll go, Mitchell, so Vala can cool off." Daniel began a slow approach.

Her eyes played tricks on her...Daniel appeared to be moving in slow motion. Water cascaded across his bare chest and had her gaze following the path towards his stomach. Suddenly disappointed as the waistband of his skivvies appeared, Vala sighed and closed her eyes.

A plop of water landed on her forehead. "It's Mitchell's turn, you know darling. I wanted to be in the water with you." Hand held up to block both water and sun, Vala peeked at her handsome lover.

"Not a good idea. Go on, I'll just watch." Daniel waggled his brows.

"Ooo...naughty. I like that!" Vala jumped up and stripped to her dark military issue underwear. Laughing at Daniel's surprise and apparent disappointment at her choice she dashed into the cool water.

-o0o-

Keeping a close eye on their surrounds SG-1 lounged in the sun to dry. Vala and Daniel had fully dressed. Teal'c and Mitchell both still had their shirts off, but vests and weapons handy.

The colonel was relaying a comical story to the Jaffa about his childhood. Something about snipe hunting, which had Teal'c extremely interested.

Sitting on a rock, Daniel looked down at Vala, posed purposely seductively on the ground below him. He grinned. She winked.

Suddenly all four were on alert, weapons at the ready and waiting. The Magistrate and several of her staff emerged from the forest.

Waving, the Magistrate approached and SG-1 lowered their weapons. "Ah, here you are." The woman blurted out sending birds squawking and flying off. "We were worried some..." the woman stopped and with mouth falling open stared at Mitchell's neck. "Oh. I...we don't usually see... well, anyway," she turned her attention to the Jaffa who stood with head cocked and staring at her.

The Magistrate's gazed dropped to his dog tags and then cut over to Mitchell's. While the other three missed the implication, Mitchell immediately got it.

"Ah, ma'am. Ours just have our names. It's not.."

She didn't let him finish. "It is of no concern to us. Odd, but since opening the Divine Ring we have seen many strange things. We do not judge your choice of a mate..."

Teal'c smiled while Daniel and Vala coughed.

Mitchell pulled the tags up and outward. "See, see! Mine has... hey, wait... really, look! Two of mine. Come on lady..."

Shaking his head, Teal'c took point following the Magistrate who'd turned away and headed back towards the town with Daniel and Vala laughing out loud, close behind.

Mitchell made a disgusted sound, snatched his T-shirt over his head and took the six, mumbling. "This is all your fault, Jackson!"

~END


End file.
